Storm showed what York is made of

Wednesday

Jul 23, 2014 at 2:00 AM

Damages notwithstanding, it was a great blessing that no one was seriously hurt during our "big blow" last week. And it was great to see the way our police, firemen, EMS, utility and tree-removal crews responded, not to mention neighbors helping neighbors. (Is this a great place to live or what?)

Damages notwithstanding, it was a great blessing that no one was seriously hurt during our "big blow" last week. And it was great to see the way our police, firemen, EMS, utility and tree-removal crews responded, not to mention neighbors helping neighbors. (Is this a great place to live or what?)

Thomas Rica, the former Public Works Director of Ridgewood, N.J., who admittedly stole $460,000 in parking-meter quarters from the city, avoided jail time by making a plea bargain to pay back ...;uh, some of the money. He gave the city a $64,337.55 down payment, forfeited his $30,000 pension fund and promised to pay $2,000 a month for five years. That leaves him about $210,000 to the good (which may be enough to pay his lawyer).

When a Frontier Airlines flight from Washington, D.C., to Denver was diverted to Cheyenne Wyo., last week because of weather, the pilot, Gerhard Bradner, took pity on his beleaguered passengers. He ordered 35 pizzas from the Cheyenne Domino's and had them delivered directly to the plane's flight attendants, who passed them out to the 160 travelers. Everybody was reportedly happy (including the Cheyenne Domino's Pizza manager).

Right idea: Like many folks often (and understandably) do, Ginny Griffith recently decided to rid her Hutchinson, Kan., home of an uninvited spider. Unlike the tactical approach most folks use, however, she set fire to a paper-towel torch and charged after it in hot pursuit. The report in the Hutchinson News didn't disclose what happened to the spider, but it took five fire department units to extinguish the blaze in her apartment. (Wrong method.)

Tragedy averted: A wayward deer walked into the Quick 6 Liquors in Weymouth, Mass., last week and wreaked havoc on the store's stock, the breakage amounting to about $3,000 worth of booze. According to the proprietor, however, it did no damage when it bolted down the aisle of high-end French wines on its way out. (No ID; no sale.)

Uncle Sam needs...;: The Selective Service System recently sent notices to two men in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., ordering them to register for the draft, even though they were 1) veterans who had previously served during wartime, and 2) dead. One, Bert Huey, fought in World War I and died in 1995 at the age of 100. Another, Fred Minnick, died in 1992. The draft board, not surprisingly, blamed the error on the Department of Motor Vehicles. (Must've been those darned computers.)

It was probably just a matter of time before the whales had it up to here with gawkers trying to get a closer look, as learned by Cici Sayer and Dale Fink. They were in a 21-foot boat off the coast of San Diego and got a little too close for a blue whale's comfort. The whale dove and came up under their craft, tipping it over and dumping them into the drink. Nobody was hurt, but a lesson was delivered (Whales 1; watchers 0.)

The big bad...;pig? Two children walking through the woods near Oakland, Maine, were recently threatened by a pig, according to reports. The children told Police Capt. Rick Stubbert that a large pig confronted them, screamed at them and then chased them. The frightened kids ran and flagged down a police cruiser. Tracks confirmed the kids' story, but police couldn't find the aggressive oinker.

Another recent attack was reported by Kerry Surman, who was riding her bike along the Trans Canada Trail last month when she was assaulted by a large goose. "The last thing I remember," she said, "was the wings around my face." She woke up with a concussion, facial lacerations, a fractured cheekbone and loose teeth, and spent five days in the hospital. (Forget about the lions and tigers; watch out for the whales, pigs and geese.)

Remember — be tender with the young, compassionate with the old, supportive of the weak and tolerant of the strong; at some point you will have been all of these.

— JEC

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.

Advertise

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
seacoastonline.com ~ 111 New Hampshire Ave., Portsmouth, NH 03801 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service